Available Memory

[ztyankov]

GS4 comes with 2GB of DDR3 Ram. I got my phone yesterday. 24 hours later, I think that I have everything setup the way I want it. Today I installed ES Task Manager to see how much memory I have available. I was surprised to see that there is only 350-620 MB available at any given time. When I was using my GS2, it usually had about 300-400 MB free. This phone comes with twice as much memory, so I was expecting something in the 700 - 900 MB range... Is this something I need to be concerned about? The phone is running very smoothly with Nova Launcher. I do see a stutter here and there, but nothing major.

How much memory do you have available? What's taking up all of the memory anyway? I have half of the gesture features disabled. I use 4 widgets - business calendar, beautiful widgets, slacker and Sportacular.

 

[effreyj]

I've noticed the same thing. It's Touchwiz that's using up a lot of it...

 

[friedtators]

its all the extra stuff. thats is why they manufactured it with more. more useful goodies

 

[Mafiatounes]

Android uses the ram when available and closes apps when there is not enough memory available so no need to worry. A reboot once a week could keep the phone running smoothly.

Sent From The One

 

[ztyankov]

Yeah, it must be Touchwiz. If one of you guys has a HTC One, how much memory does that usually have available?

Hopefully the update that they are preparing will not only trim down the storage space Touchwiz uses but some of the RAM as well.

 

[Raymond Tan]

Mafiatounes is correct. Newer versions of android manage ram much better than before(I think post ICS). It utilizes all available ram and automatically adjusts it when more apps are opened, instead of letting the extra ram go to waste.

 

[ztyankov]

I just installed SystemPanelLite Task Manager from the Play store. It gives you a super detailed system usage. So I found the following RAM eating apps:

Facebook: 44MB - Is there a way to get facebook notifications, if I remove the app?
Nova Launcher: 88MB - I didn't think this launcher used so much memory
SwiftKey: 65MB
Samsung Apps: 66MB
Samsung Link: 29MB
Samsung Knox: 27MB - Is this Lookout??
Settings: 84MB - I assume that this is part of the System services...

 

[Raymond Tan]

I just installed SystemPanelLite Task Manager from the Play store. It gives you a super detailed system usage. So I found the following RAM eating apps:

Facebook: 44MB - Is there a way to get facebook notifications, if I remove the app?
Nova Launcher: 88MB - I didn't think this launcher used so much memory
SwiftKey: 65MB
Samsung Apps: 66MB
Samsung Link: 29MB
Samsung Knox: 27MB - Is this Lookout??
Settings: 84MB - I assume that this is part of the System services...

Depending on what you have open the numbers may change. For example the "settings"(84mb) may go up if you have fewer apps running because more ram is available. So android allocates more free ram to "settings" so that it runs smoother. It will also decrease the amount of ram allocated for "settings" if you have more apps open. This way there is less ram wasted. There's no real need to monitor running apps to free more ram anymore, Android will do it automatically.

I don't not have the Facebook app running on my phone, but instead get notified through email when there are updates. You can set that up from your Facebook page. I don't really use my Facebook account so I'm not sure if there is a delay between when I get the email and when my Facebook page is actually updated.

 

[ztyankov]

Cool. Thanks. I'll try to setup those Facebook notifications. I've heard from several people that the Facebook app causes issues. I know it slowed down my gs2.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Mafiatounes]

I have about 600-800 mb ram free on my One. Like i said you should not worry ram in Android is there to be used unlike on a Windows pc the tasker will kick out apps you don't use to free up if you hit the minimum limit.

Sent From The One

 

[DS1331]

I usually have 1.5 ram or a little less avail always but I don't have rooter stuff going on or a launcher just facebook weather games widgets and internet

Sent from my HTC One using Android Central Forums

 

[DS1331]

Right ? It says 550mb/ 1.5gb when I go to running apps



Sent from my HTC One using Android Central Forums

 

[SCjRqrQCnBQ19QoYCtdl]

Empty memory is wasted memory.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I agree with disabling stock bloat that you won't use to free up more RAM for your use. But task managers really aren't needed since 4.0.

Sent from a M.O.A.R. Galaxy S3

 

[Rick Bray]

Empty memory is wasted memory.

second this

why should i have 2 gigs of ram if i won't use them? in that case why wouldn't i just buy a midrange phone?

the android OS manages apps for everythng to be as smooth as possible using some complex algorithms... and this will depend on the usage you give to the phone...

theoretically, it will get smoother the more you use it.... it will know that you open, let's say, facebook once every 5 minutes, so it will keep facebook using as much ram as it needs it.... and lets say you use google maps once a week, it will give maps much less ram, and instead it will "freeze" it and save it as cache....

i'm actually glad my phone's always with 1.5/1.6 uses gigs of ram!!!!!

 

[DS1331]

Can anyone reccomend a good ram/memory widget just a simple one?

Sent from my HTC One using Android Central Forums

 

[Golfdriver97]

Can anyone reccomend a good ram/memory widget just a simple one?

Sent from my HTC One using Android Central Forums

Clean Master has a simple 4x1. The app is pretty useful too.

Sent from a M.O.A.R. Galaxy S3

 

[Andrawer]

um, there really isn't an issue. You want your RAM to be relatively full of apps ready for use.
If for example you launch Chrome and it is already loaded in RAM...that's good...faster since the Android OS doesn't need to first load Chrome into your RAM to be used.

The problem is the apps you don't use (i.e. Samsung Link?, bloatware, etc.) that make themselves always resident in RAM then less memory is available for the apps you might use often such as messaging, gallery, etc.
App killers/cleaners simply remove the apps from RAM and then when you use them Android has to first load them into RAM...taking more time. App Killers are really only good for dealing with rogue apps that has gotten wild.